Liberia - Mike Goldwater

NPFL fighters loyal to Charles Taylor cruise the streets of Monrovia.

ULIMO-J fighters loyal to Prince Johnson advance from their base in downtown Monrovia to engage the NPFL fighters.

Khran children hold up an empty tube and an air filter to imitate fighters of Ulimo-J as bullets whistle down one of Monrovia's main streets

NPFL fighters during street fighting in downtown Monrovia advance towards ULIMO-J positions.

A Khran boy holds up an empty tube to imitate Khran fighters of Ulimo-j as bullets whistle down one of Monrovia's main streets.

NPFL fighters advancing towards Barclay Training Centre. One carries a rocket propelled grenade launcher (RPG).

Ulimo-J fighter winces in pain from a bullet wound caught during street fighting with Charles Taylor's NPFL in the capital.

A severed head of captured NPFL fighter who has just been decapitated lies in road as Ulimo-J fighters advance.

A Khran boy soldier strokes a kitten he has just picked up while the severed head of captured NPFL fighter killed moments before lies in the road.

A Ulimo-J fighter treads on the severed head of captured NPFL fighter who has just been decapitated.

Khran boy with a water pistol itching to take part in conflict during deadly battles between Ulimo-J and Charles Taylor's NPFL in the streets of Monrovia.

A wounded Khran fighter is carried back towards Ulimo-J hospital at Barclay Training Centre.

Bandaged Khran fighter with chest wound in Ulimo-J hospital at Barclay Training Centre.

An NPFL teenage fighter moves through damaged streets in downtown Monrovia.

NPFL fighters paint graffiti on shuttered shops in downtown Monrovia

A child abandoned during the latest round of fighting sits in a classroom at the Graystone camp where 40,000 people have taken refuge.

A man passing a preacher in Graystone Camp taps his bible as a blessing.

Charles Taylor holding his staff of office stands outside the mansion he is using as his headquaters and seat of government.

Bodyguards armed with AK-47s guard Charles Taylor's motorcade as he makes a visit to Kataka, a short drive up-country from the capital..

In April 1996, the Liberian civil war erupted once more. Running intermittently since 1989, war had claimed the lives of more than 200,000 Liberians and was motivated in part by warlords fighting for control of natural resources abundant in Liberia – diamonds, timber and gold. The Liberian Council of State, controlled by Charles Taylor, sent police-militia to arrest rival warlord Prince Johnson, the ULIMO-J leader, on murder charges.

Fighting began between NPFL forces under Taylor and ULIMO-J. In the following seven weeks – before a cease-fire was brokered – 1,500 people were killed and large parts of Monrovia, the capital city, were destroyed.